Lagos, Jan. 11, 2026 (Naija247news) — The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has issued a stern warning to the contractor handling the Ikorodu–Itoki Road project, threatening to terminate the contract over what he described as unacceptable delays and lack of cooperation.
Umahi gave the warning on Sunday during an inspection tour of the road project in Lagos State, expressing deep dissatisfaction with the pace and attitude of the contractor, GELD Construction Ltd.
According to the minister, the Federal Government would no longer tolerate excuses or actions that undermine the timely completion of critical infrastructure.
“I am very disappointed because they are more interested in explaining why the job cannot be done, instead of cooperating with us to do what is possible,” Umahi said.
“How many years do they want to stay here? The game is over. If the contractor refuses to comply, the supervising engineer will risk his job, and I will not hesitate to have the contractor arrested.”
He stressed that supervising engineers have a duty to formally report any act of disobedience by contractors to the ministry.
To ease traffic congestion and accelerate progress, the minister directed that excavation work be carried out at night to ensure seamless vehicular movement during the day.
“The road is eight metres wide. What we have directed is that the first section should be excavated at night and refilled with stone base mixed with cement. It will be like concrete, allowing traffic to flow seamlessly,” he explained.
Umahi said the project would now be executed section by section, starting with an initial five-kilometre stretch, adding that excavated materials would be reused to construct the road shoulders where feasible.
“In some areas, it is impossible to do shoulders, so we will skip those sections. But all work within the eight-metre carriageway will be done at night, using 60 millimetres of binder course and 40 millimetres of wearing course,” he added.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering quality road infrastructure and warned that contractors who fail to align with government directives would face serious consequences.
Ifeoluwa Okonkwo ✔
Ifeoluwa Okonkwo is a dedicated News Content Editor at Naija247news, bringing over five years of experience in news writing and editorial work. A graduate of the University of Abia State, Ifeoluwa specializes in curating and refining impactful news stories that resonate with readers. Her expertise lies in delivering accurate, timely, and engaging content across diverse topics, contributing to the platform’s reputation for excellence in journalism. Through her leadership, she ensures high editorial standards and an unwavering commitment to journalistic integrity.
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